Tranquility
by huffleclaw22
Summary: Sometimes there's no better time for love to blossom than the calm after a big storm. (Set right after the Battle of Hogwarts). PLZ REVIEW! :)


**A/N: Nevannah is awesome! Luna should have ended up with Seamus (PM me if you agree, we'll rant about it!). Anywhoo like JKR owns all copyright and she's super awesome! **

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Neville Longbottom couldn't stand the sight any longer; too much blood, tears, suffering, and ruin. Of course there was some rejoicing and relief as well, but it was mostly the latter as, the battle had only just ended a few hours ago.

He needed some fresh air and decided to go outside. As he walked through the rubble of the castle ruins, he realized there was still one place that had not been destroyed during the battle. The lake.

He could see, as he got closer, that apparently someone else had the same idea. Under one of the large trees, he could see a girl crying. Neville decided to go a bit closer to see who it was.

The girl had long honey blonde hair pulled back in a messy ponytail with a few loose strands in her face. She was wearing her white uniform blouse with a yellow and black tie tied loosely around her neck that indicated she was in Hufflepuff.

She had a run and some dirt on her black tights, also. Neville blinked a few times and cautiously stepped closer, realizing immediately that he knew her. Not only was she one of the original members of Dumbledore's Army, but had also been in several of his classes for seven years.

It was Hannah Abbott, the certain 'blonde bubbly badger' that he'd had a massive crush on since third year. Neville practically ran over to where she was silently sobbing into her knees. "Hannah-?" he asked gently, slowly sitting beside her.

Hannah looked up, tears running down her somewhat dirty face. "Neville-?" she sniffled.

Neville nodded with a gentle smile. "Yeah, it's me," he said quietly. He picked at a patch of grass at his feet.

Hannah didn't say anything and wiped her face on her sleeve. Neville noticed she had a small cut above her left eye but no other visible injuries, he was very relieved to see that she seemed to be physically okay. "Hannah, er, why are you crying?" he stuttered after a few seconds of staring at her.

"O-Oh...i-it's nothing," Hannah replied, her voice cracking a bit.

"Really? I-It doesn't seem like nothing. You seem so upset, what is it?" Neville pushed.

"I-I...I don't want to say," Hannah finally choked out, after a few seconds of silence.

"Why?" Neville found himself asking, he couldn't help but be curious.

Hannah sniffled again and coughed into her knees. "I-It's just...y-you really scared me before," she admitted.

Neville was very confused, unsure what she was talking about. "I-I did?" he asked, realizing how stupid it sounded the second it came out of his mouth.

"Yes, you did. When V-Vol...You Know Who, bound you like that and lit the sorting hat on fire...I-I was so scared be-because..." Hannah was sobbing again.

"Say it, it's okay," Neville urged, instinctively putting a comforting arm around the shaking Hufflepuff girl.

"...because I love you Neville-" Hannah sniffled, looking directly into his deep hazel eyes. "-aand I-I thought that _he _was going to...k-kill you," she added, tears rolling rapidly down her sweet face.

Neville had never been so shocked in his life; the girl he'd been hopelessly in love with for four years had just told him that she loved him. "Y-You do?" he stuttered, desperately praying that it wasn't a dream or a figment of his imagination.

Hannah nodded slowly. "Y-Yes," she confessed, still choking back tears.

Neville found himself grinning, as inappropriate as it may have been considering the time, he couldn't help it. "I-I love you too Hannah, f-for quite some time now," he admitted.

Hannah smiled faintly. "R-Really?" she asked.

Neville grinned. "Er yeah..." he said with a small shrug.

"Hold me Neville, and don't let go," Hannah whimpered, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Okay, I can do that," Neville said softly, pulling her closer against him.

Hannah began shaking in his arms, crying into his shoulder. Neville gently rubbed her back for a few minutes until her breath slowed again. "Merlin, you're a sight for sore eyes, you know that?" he asked.

He'd seen so much gore and tragedy take place in the last few hours, it was refreshing to see Hannah's face. Hannah didn't say anything but she did give him another small smile. Neville gently pulled her into his lap. Finally, after what seemed like atleast ten minutes of awkward silence and sniffling, Hannah spoke.

"That was so brave what you did, slaying that giant snake," she said.

"It was no big deal really, I just did what had to be done, what Harry told me to do," Neville shrugged it off.

"I know this must feel foreign to you, getting all this attention I mean. So I'm not going to fangirl over you, but you've been so brave all year. You showed me the light when I was sure that the darkness had consumed me, you gave those stupid bloody Carrows hell, and you fought bravely for what you believed in," Hannah told him.

"Eh, yeah I guess I did, but it really wasn't that big of a deal. I don't need lots of attention, actually, you're the one person I don't mind talking to right now. The others don't understand me like you do," Neville said.

Hannah didn't say anything, she just started gently tracing some of the scratches on his face. "I've got some dittany," she spoke softly.

Neville smiled. "Yeah?" he asked.

Hannah nodded and pulled a small bottle out of her skirt pocket. "Here, hold still," she told him. Ever so gently, she began applying the dittany to the various injuries on his face, arms, and hands. Neville flinched a bit as it stung when she first put it on, but in no time his injuries seemed to be already fading.

He knew of course, that dittany worked really fast. They had worked with it in Herbology to make Potions ingredients. "I'll do the cut above your eye," Neville offered, taking the bottle. Hannah held still as he gently put a drop on her cut, it faded into nothing more than a small scratch.

"It feels strange..." Hannah mused.

"Yeah, it can sometimes have that effect," Neville replied. "It takes a while to heal things completely," he added.

"Not the dittany, I-I meant that only the other day everything was perfectly normal, a-and now...it's just, well, not," Hannah clarified.

"Oh, yeah, I know," Neville agreed.

He noticed how the sunshine radiated off of her golden hair, making it sparkle. "So...er...how's MacMillan holding up, I heard he had to go to the Hospital Wing, what happened?" he asked, trying to make conversation.

Hannah cringed. "Oh, Ernie got attacked by one of the giants in the dark army. It was pretty bad, but Susan's sitting with him and I'm sure Madam Pomfrey can fix him up soon," she replied.

Neville nodded. "I still can't believe how many we lost last night, so much magical blood spilled, it's a shame," he commented, shaking his head sadly.

"I don't think I'll ever be quite the same again, I don't think any of us will. We've all witnessed such horrors this past year alone, things we'll never be able to unsee. Just two years ago I'd have been devastated at all these losses, but now I'm almost just glad to be alive myself," Hannah admitted.

"I know what you mean," Neville said.

"I can't even wrap my mind around everything that's just happened. Seeing all of those lifeless bodies in the Great Hall, people weeping over them, I couldn't take it Neville. I feel almost guilty that I'm still here and all of my friends are still here after this horrific battle," Hannah told him. "All I can do is sit here and cry because I'm not even bold enough to go back and pay my respects. Merlin, I couldn't even tell little Dennis Creevey that I was sorry about Colin," she sniffled, more tears running down her face.

"It's okay Hannah, people cope and grieve in different ways, you just need some more time," Neville said, gently kissing the top of her head.

"Yeah, I suppose," Hannah sniffled again.

Neville couldn't take it anymore, he desperately wanted to just start snogging her right there. So, gathering up all of his inner lion strength, he took her hand in his own and caressed it softly. "Hannah, what was your worst fear last night?" he asked.

Hannah smiled sadly. "Losing you and never getting to tell you how deeply I-" before she could finish her sentence, Neville's lips were pressed against hers. It was a wet and sloppy kiss with lots of tongue and Hannah's tears, but passionate all the same.

"-love you," Hannah finished as soon as they broke off the kiss. Her expression was not one of embarassment, but one of peaceful relief.

"Let's never let anything get in the way of us ever again. I've lived without you for four years, and now that I've had a taste, I don't think I ever can again," Neville grinned, gazing deeply into her usually bright but now bloodshot amber eyes.

"Stay with me?" Hannah asked, nuzzling her nose against his.

"Forever," Neville replied, gently kissing her again.

This time, they were locked in an intense snog session until McGonagall had to send some professors to look for them. The Second Wizarding War was over, the reign of darkness had ended, and the survivors were left in a state of peace and tranquility. It would now be a time for healing, love, and reforming.


End file.
